Asphaltene stabilization in petroleum feedstocks by blending with biological source oil and/or chemical additive

Abstract

Biological source oils, including, but not limited to, algae oil, stabilize the presence of asphaltenes in petroleum feedstocks, such as crude oil, to help avoid or prevent fouling and/or corrosion in the production, transferring and processing of the petroleum feedstocks. Chemical additives such as phenol-based resins, and reaction products or combinations of long chain alpha-olefins and/or small chain aldehydes and/or long chain alkyl phenate sulfides and/or metal oxide-based colloidal hydrocarbon-based nanodispersions, may also stabilize the presence of asphaltenes in petroleum feedstocks. By “stabilizing” is meant keeping the asphaltenes in solution in the petroleum feedstocks.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A petroleum feedstock comprising stabilized asphaltenes comprising:
 a petroleum feedstock containing asphaltenes; 
 an effective amount to improve the stability of asphaltenes in the petroleum feedstock of:
 at least one biological source oil, where the biological source oil is selected from the group consisting of algae oils, fish oils, krill oils, flaxseed oils, biocrude, and mixtures thereof; and 
 at least one chemical additive to improve the stability of asphaltenes in the petroleum feedstock, where the chemical additive is selected from the group consisting of:
 alkylphenol-based resins, where the alkyl group is selected from the group consisting of octyl, nonyl, and dodecyl, where an alkylphenol is reacted with an aldehyde in the presence of a sulphonic acid, where the alkyl-phenol based resins are used alone or in conjunction with amines, 
 long chain alpha-olefins having more than 20 carbon atoms reacted with an aldehyde, 
 long chain alkyl phenate sulfides having from 8 to 40 carbon atoms reacted with polyolefins, 
 metal oxide-based colloidal hydrocarbon-based nanodispersions, and 
 combinations of these chemical additives; and 
 
 combinations of at least one biological source oil and at least one chemical additive; 
 
 
       where the asphaltenes are synergistically stabilized in the petroleum feedstock which is defined as to an extent that is greater than the additive of:
 the stabilizing achieved with only the same amount of the biological source oil used separately, added to 
 the stabilizing achieved with only the same amount of the chemical additive used separately. 
 
     
     
       2. The petroleum feedstock of  claim 1  where the petroleum feedstock is selected from the group consisting of crude oils, heavy oils, coker feedstocks, visbreaker feedstocks, vacuum tower bottoms, fuel oils, diesel oils, bunker fuel oils, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       3. The petroleum feedstock of  claim 1  where the effective amount of biological source oil ranges from about 0.01 wt % to about 99 wt %, and the effective amount of the chemical additive ranges from about 0.05 wt % to about 99 wt %, both based on the amount of petroleum feedstock. 
     
     
       4. The petroleum feedstock of  claim 1  where the biological source oil is algae oil. 
     
     
       5. A petroleum feedstock comprising stabilized asphaltenes comprising:
 a petroleum feedstock containing asphaltenes; 
 an effective amount to improve the stability of asphaltenes in the petroleum feedstock of:
 at least one biological source oil that is an algae oil; and 
 at least one chemical additive to improve the stability of asphaltenes in the petroleum feedstock, where the chemical additive is an alkylphenol-based resins, where the alkyl group is selected from the group consisting of octyl, nonyl, and dodecyl, where an alkylphenol is reacted with an aldehyde in the presence of a sulphonic acid, where the alkyl-phenol based resins are used alone or in conjunction with amines; 
 
 
       where the asphaltenes are synergistically stabilized in the petroleum feedstock which is defined as to an extent that is greater than the additive of:
 the stabilizing achieved with only the same amount of the biological source oil used separately, added to 
 the stabilizing achieved with only the same amount of the chemical additive used separately. 
 
     
     
       6. The petroleum feedstock of  claim 5  where the petroleum feedstock is selected from the group consisting of crude oils, heavy oils, coker feedstocks, visbreaker feedstocks, vacuum tower bottoms, fuel oils, diesel oils, bunker fuel oils, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       7. The petroleum feedstock of  claim 5  where the effective amount of biological source oil ranges from about 0.01 wt % to about 99 wt %, and the effective amount of the chemical additive ranges from about 0.05 wt % to about 99 wt %, both based on the amount of petroleum feedstock. 
     
     
       8. A petroleum feedstock comprising stabilized asphaltenes comprising:
 a petroleum feedstock containing asphaltenes; 
 an effective amount to improve the stability of asphaltenes in the petroleum feedstock of:
 at least one biological source oil that is an algae oil; and 
 at least one chemical additive to improve the stability of asphaltenes in the petroleum feedstock, where the chemical additive is an alkylphenol-based resins, where the alkyl group is selected from the group consisting of octyl, nonyl, and dodecyl, where an alkylphenol is reacted with an aldehyde in the presence of a sulphonic acid, where the alkyl-phenol based resins are used in conjunction with triethylenetetramine (TETA). 
 
 
     
     
       9. The petroleum feedstock of  claim 8  where the asphaltenes are synergistically stabilized in the petroleum feedstock which is defined as to an extent that is greater than the additive of:
 the stabilizing achieved with only the same amount of the biological source oil used separately, added to 
 the stabilizing achieved with only the same amount of the chemical additive used separately. 
 
     
     
       10. The petroleum feedstock of  claim 8  where the petroleum feedstock is selected from the group consisting of crude oils, heavy oils, coker feedstocks, visbreaker feedstocks, vacuum tower bottoms, fuel oils, diesel oils, bunker fuel oils, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       11. The petroleum feedstock of  claim 8  where the effective amount of biological source oil ranges from about 0.01 wt % to about 99 wt %, and the effective amount of the chemical additive ranges from about 0.05 wt % to about 99 wt %, both based on the amount of petroleum feedstock.